After a long day at work, many go to the kitchen in the evening to prepare a warm meal. But what to do with the leftovers? Can you keep them warm in the fridge or should they cool outside?
Should you keep leftovers hot in the fridge?
The above points speak against cooling at room temperature. On the other hand, if you put hot food in the fridge, the entire cupboard heats up. The device takes a correspondingly long time to restore the optimal temperature and thus consumes significantly more and, above all, unnecessary energy. In addition, other foods that are also in the refrigerator are heated during this time. The warm food breaks through the cold chain of the other products due to the abrupt increase in temperature, which are then damaged more quickly. Sensitive foods in particular, such as yoghurts, could be affected quickly. In addition, with open, warm dishes, condensation can form in the refrigerator, which can later be found as icing.
In general, the food should be cooled as quickly as possible – that’s already clear. But how do you regulate the temperature without constantly having to think about high electricity bills, freezing or infection? Here are a few suggested solutions:
Pour the meal into another container, because heat escapes as soon as you transfer it.
Warm food cools faster when stored in small containers.
The food can be placed in a cold water bath for a few minutes before going into the fridge.
At the right time of the year or overnight, the cooked food can be covered animal-safe and placed outside, i.e. on the balcony or terrace.
If the food has to be kept warm in the fridge, don’t forget to cover it to avoid condensation.
When reheating: heat for at least two minutes at a minimum of 70 degrees to give no chance for germination.
Conclusion: lukewarm food can be placed covered in the refrigerator without any problems. Warm or hot dishes, on the other hand, should be cooled first, but then they can also be put in the fridge quickly. Dairy and meat products in particular, as well as foods with eggs, should not be left at room temperature overnight, as this can lead to the undesirable development of bacteria and germs.
